Is this searching via the Google search bar on the Navigation Toolbar or searching via the location bar?

• searching via the location bar (pref: keyword.URL)
• search bar on the Navigation Toolbar
• search bar on the about:home page
• other search bar (e.g. added by extension)

• http://kb.mozillazine.org/Unable_to_search_or_add_new_engines

Question owner

If I understand your question, the trouble seems to be with the Google search bar.

Question owner

That is what I think, but I'm not very savey.

Try to delete the search.json file and a possible search.sqlite file in the Firefox Profile Folder.

• http://kb.mozillazine.org/Profile_folder_-_Firefox

You can use this button to go to the Firefox profile folder:

• Help > Troubleshooting Information > Profile Directory: Show Folder

You can also try to reset some preferences to the default with the SearchReset extension:

• https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/addon/searchreset/

Note that the SearchReset extension only runs once and then uninstalls automatically, so it won't show on the "Firefox > Add-ons" page (about:addons).

Question owner

I deleted search.json file and search.sqlite; next I turned off Foxfire and tried again. I still can't search. I may have to call GEEK Squad.

Do you still have the Google search engine listed as a choice in the drop down list and is this search engine selected?

Check the browser.search.defaultenginename pref on the about:config page and make sure that it is set to the default value Google.

• browser.search.defaultenginename

• http://kb.mozillazine.org/about:config

Start Firefox in Safe Mode to check if one of the extensions (Firefox/Tools > Add-ons > Extensions) or if hardware acceleration is causing the problem (switch to the DEFAULT theme: Firefox/Tools > Add-ons > Appearance).

• Do NOT click the Reset button on the Safe mode start window or otherwise make changes.

• https://support.mozilla.org/kb/Safe+Mode
• https://support.mozilla.org/kb/Troubleshooting+extensions+and+themes

Create a new profile as a test to check if your current profile is causing the problems.

See "Creating a profile":

• https://support.mozilla.org/kb/profile-manager-create-and-remove-firefox-profiles
• http://kb.mozillazine.org/Standard_diagnostic_-_Firefox#Profile_issues

If the new profile works then you can transfer some files from an existing profile to the new profile, but be careful not to copy corrupted files.

• http://kb.mozillazine.org/Transferring_data_to_a_new_profile_-_Firefox